NPS Form 10-900
(Rev. 8-86) .
OHa No. 1024-0018
united States Oepartment of the Interior
National Park Service
N~TIdNAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
REGISTRATION FORM
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1. Name of Property
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Historic Name: Blount, Eugene H., House
other Name/Site Number: Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce
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2. Location
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Street & Number: 1801 North Street
Not for Publication: N/A
CitY/Town: Nacogdoches
State: TX
County: Nacogdoches
Code: 347
Zip Code: 75961
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3. Classification
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Ownership of Property: Public-local
Category of property: Building
Number of Resources within Property:
Contributing
Noncontributing
1
buildings
sites
structures
objects
1
Total
Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National
Register: 0
Name of related multiple property listing: Nacogdoches Multiple-property Nominatio:
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130
*US.D I/NPS NRHP Registration Form
Page #2
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4. Scace/Federal Agency Cerciricacion
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__
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As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act
of 1986, as amended, I hereby certify that th!s __nomination __request
for determination ~f eligibility meets the documentation standards for
registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and
meets the p~ocedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR
Pa~ 60.
In my opinion, the property __.meets __do~s not meet the National Regi~ter criteria.
See continuation sheet.
Signature of certifying official
Date
State or Federal agency and bureau
In my opinion, the property __meets
does not meet the National Register criteria.
See continuation sheet.
Signature of · commenting or other official
Date
State or ' Federal agency and bureau
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5. Nacional Park Service :Certificacion
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I, hereby certify that this p!operty is:
entered in the National Register
See continuation sheet.
____ determined eligible for the
National Register
See continuation sheet.
____ determined not eligible for the
National Register
removed from the National Register
____ other (explain):
Signature of Keeper
Date of Action
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6. Funccion or Use
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Historic: Domestic
Sub: Single dwelling
Current : Commerce/Trade
Sub: Chamber of Commerce
131
*~SDI/NPS
NRBP
~egistration Fprm
Page #3
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7. Description
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~chitect~ral
Classification:
Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals
Other Description:
Materials: foundation
walls
roof
other
Brick
Brick1 Wood
Asphalt
Describe present and historic physical appearance.
X See continuation sheet.
.
.
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8. Statement
or
Significance
===J!I=~=,-~==============:'::;========D=====:a ==================_a===========
Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in
relation to other properties:
Applioable National Register Criteria: C
Criteria 'Considerations (Exceptions)
Areas of Significance: Architecture
Period(s) of Significanoe: 1923
Significant Dates: 1923
Significant person(s):
Cultural Affiliation:
Not Applicable
Architect/Builder: Rulfs, Dietrich A. W.
State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria
considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above.
x
o
See continuation sheet.
132
*USDI/NPS NRHP
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9. Major
Registration ' Fo~
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Bib~iographical
__
:page #4
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References
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See Historic context List of References.
Previous documentation on file (NPS).:
preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has
been requested.
previously listed in the National Register
previously determined eligible by the National Register
designated a National Historic Landmark
recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey
#
recorded by Historic American Engineering Record #
Primary Location of Additional Data:
x State historic preservation office
other state agency
Federal ~gency .
Local government
University
other -- Speeify Repository:
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10. Geographical Da~a
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Acreage of property:
UTM References: Zone Easting Northing
A
C
Zone Easting Northing
B
D
See continuation sheet.
Verbal Boundary Description:
Addition: City of Nacogdoches
Block:
50
Lot:
22
Boundary Justification:
Property includes area historically associated with building being
nominated.
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11. Form Prepared By
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Name/Title: Ed Galloway/Research Assistant
Organization: Hardy-Heck-Moore
Street & Number: 2112 Rio Grande
City or Town: Austin
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133
Date: June 1990
Telephone: 512-478-6014
State: TX Zip: 78705
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NPS Form 10-900-a
'0
Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86)
United states Depart~ent of the Interior
National Park Service
NATION~
REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
CONTINUATION SHEET
Section number 7
Page #5
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The Eugene Blount House is a majestic 2-story
~omestic
building
with a modified rectangular plan and a low-pitched hip roof.
building's core has walls that are of brick and wood.
The
The most dis-
tinctive feature is the structure's overall horizontal emphasis which
is reinforced by the elongated facade, low-pitched roof and extended
eaves.
Detailing on the front porch and en4 sections are
worthy.
al~o
note-
Although the house has been converted into offices, the
inter i or fixtures remain intact, and the broad central hall and staircase are distinguishing
elements ~
The dwelling occupies a large tree-
filled lot that is well-groomed and landscaped and is directly west of
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the campus of Stephen F. Austin University.
surrounding areas once
were filled with domestic buildings but now are lined with fast-food
restaurants and other newly constructed commercial buildings.
The Blount House is at the rear of a large rectangular lot and,
therefore, is set back from North Street, a major thoroughfare in the
city.
The siting helps evoke a sense of grandeur to the building.
The front, which faces east, has a recessed central section or bay
where a 1-story porch with balcony is located.
support the porch.
Corinthian columns
The project sections on the front (which frame the
recessed bay) are of brick and have round-arch Hd first-floor windows.
The windows on the second floor are paired and have 12/12 lights.
The
outer sections are of frame construction and have vertical wood siding.
Pilasters with Corinthian capitals provide visual interest.
There are not outbuildings on the lot; however, a port cochere
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extends from the rear of the building and is service by a driveway
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tha~
runs to the south.
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135
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OMB Approval NO. 1024-0018
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park service
~ATiONAL ' R$GiSTER
CONTlNUATI6N
OF HISTORIC PLACES
SHE~T
_________________________ Page #6
Section number 8
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landm~rk
The Eugene Fi. Blount House is a local
and is nominated to
the National Register under Criterion C for its architectural merits.
Erect~d
in 1923, it was one of the last and among the most important
commissions of local architect Dietrich
w.
~.
R~lfs
who designed
numerous residential and commercial buildings in Nacogdoches and
nearby cities.
.The house was built for a locally prominent business-
man, statesman and philanthropist, Eugene H. Blount, and it stands as
a fitting symbol of a man who played an important role in the city's
early 20th-century history and development.
o
The house is associated
with Community Planning and Development in Nacogdoches: 1830-1940.
During the early 1920s when the state legislature decided to
establish a new teachers college in East Texas, to be named Stephen F.
Austin Normal College, numerous communities in the region began lobbying to have the institution built in their respective towns.
doches was one of these cities and Eugene
of the
forts.
Comm~rcial
~.
Nacog-
Blount, who was president
State Bank of Nacogdoches, spearheaded local ef-
In 1919 the state selected Nacogdoches and a 40-acre heavily
wooded parcel about two miles north of the downtown was set aside for
the campus.
This 1 \nd was carved from the old Thomas J. Rusk home-
stead and was undevoloped.
However, the decision to locate the campus
at this site had a profound effect on Nacogdoches' physical developmente
Property along North street, which linked the campus and the
downtown, quickly became one of the more prestigious thoroughfares in
the community as many affluent and prominent families erected majestic
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136
residences.
had
help~d
~lount
Among the first to build was
Eugen~
H. Blount who earlier
to get the school in Nacogdoches.
sel~cted
Dietrich Rulfs to design the house which was to be
among the' last of the architect's commissions.
career in the
E~st
Rulfs'
prof~ssional
Texas region lasted about 45 years, spanning a
period of tremendous change in architectural
~tyles
and trends.
This
house, along ,with the QUeen Anne-styled Jones House (1897) on N.
Church street and the Craftsman-influenced
~ast
and Gray Houses (1911)
on Logansport Street, are perhaps Rulfs r most successful residential
projects and reveal his ability to interpret prevailing architectural
fashions.
Although the house no longer is a private residence arid is used as
the offices for the local chamber of commerce, it remains a vital
landmark to one of Nacogdoches' most influential early 20th century
citizens and to its most prolific architect.
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137
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